Why So Few Miracles in the Western Culture?

I started responding to a question I received on this blog, realized that the answer would be a long one, so I decided to answer in the form of a post. The question was:

Can you give some info on Why we don’t see many healing miracles in the Western culture. Is it a lack faith by those praying for others to be healed? I don’t like pulling single scriptures out to back up my point but there are a few that talk about faith the size of a mustard seed or Jesus said we would great things than this etc. I feel frustrated when I see and pray for people who are in for example a wheelchair and their own desire is to be healed by God?

Sorry for the delayed response. Great questions. We do have miracles associated with many ministries in the West, but not only are they fewer than in the early 20th century (in my opinion), but there is a definite resistance to any kind of reporting of Christian ministries in our day, other than scandals. I certainly detect an anti-Christian spirit developing in the US, but it is even more advanced in Europe. If for example, a blind person was healed in your ministry, no news outlet would carry it, and even so, it would probably be an obscure “documentary” about “religious craziness” showing at 1.00am and featuring you with Indian mystics and David Blaine.

So, just as God spoke to Elijah about him not being alone and 7,000 being reserved who had not bowed their knee to Baal, the same is true today. There are many miracles occurring in the US and in Europe. In churches across the land, by itinerant evangelists, in countless healing rooms, healings are occurring – real, verifiable healings. In my 5 years in healing rooms, we had bad blood tests becoming good, bad X-Rays and MRIs coming back good, and people released form chronic pain and set free. I have seen deafness healed, diabetes healed, double vision restored instantly and my own horrible prognosis for my shoulder (“your only option is surgery!”) discarded by God – now I’m back lifting weights – no surgery.

It is all there, but you’ll never see it in a paper or on TV. Rather, in unheralded meetings and in healing rooms all over the US, people ARE getting healed. Is it as much as I would like? Clearly not! Any why not? I continue to maintain that our current crop of pastors and teachers are largely unbelievers in the area of healing and the miraculous. You shouldn’t take a fly swatter to a gun fight, which is what these dear ones do. They proclaim loudly that they believe but their actions belie their words. They don’t preach healing, don’t demonstrate it, and in the rare instances that they mention healing, they twist it to their experience and strip it of any power…

“He heals sometimes…”

“If it is His will, you’ll be healed…”

“God’s will is for you to be sick…”

“Sickness will build your character…”

“How else would we die…?”

“Sometimes He answers Yes, sometimes No, sometimes Wait…”

“This sickness is to make you humble/teach you patience/(add any excuse you like) …”

“What about Job?”

“What about Paul’s Thorn?…”

“What about Trophimus, who Paul left sick…”

I could go on and on. Essentially they are out there preaching myths and fables and not healing. That’s what all the above junk is. So we don’t get healing. God does not work through laymen (bottom-up) – He works through pastors (top-down). So no matter how on fire you are, if your pastor is a big ball of faithlessness in the area of miracles and healing, that’s the atmosphere you’ll have. You will be pulling uphill and you will have less success than if you had a believing pastor. God respects His order in the church, regardless of whether you are right and the pastor is wrong. That just the way it works.

So I could go on – we don’t have serious prayer or intercession in most churches, we seldom hear sermons on healing, there’s no way we can have sustained explosions of widespread healing as long as the present situation continues. God confirms His Word with signs following… No word of healing, no confirmation. The good thing is that you can find places where the pastor is leading the healing revival, places where they pray, teach, preach, and demonstrate healing. They exist, absolutely and God is doing amazing stuff in those places.

23 Responses to "Why So Few Miracles in the Western Culture?"

I totally believe that God can heal and does. I agree that excuses are made. One is: We will know in God’s time, I feel that is a cop-out. I know when I was around 8 my dad was prayed for and I expected him to get out of the bed right then. He didn’t. It sorta shook what I thought and believed. But I believe that there was one in the room who did not have the complete belief for healing to happen. I don’t think the person has to believe, I just believe the persons praying and anoiting. I have a so who has cancer and in a lot of pain. I believe he can be healed. His father was healed of cancer years ago. I just do not believe when I ask for healing prayer that others just either don’t pray or don’t believe. Do you feel that if it is just me that prays and believes it will happen? Thanks, Sandi Hardin

God out Father God called all believers to confirm the word, when they speak with signs and wonders will follow, He said he that believeth speaking of any believer shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.
Jn14;12 he also said, He that believeth on me, the works that i do shall he do also.
he was talking about healing, raising the dead, and casting out demons.
the promise is for all believers. all you have to do is pray and believe that you have it and shall be given unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you have recieve them, and ye shall have them.
over and over the promise is to confirm the word of God Remember it’s not your word been confirmed its God word and it never fails..
God promises are once spoken become universal laws,.all of his healing promises are universal laws for us to speak them into existence.
don’t go by physical sight, the words are spiritual and the spiritual laws cannot be borken.
Dont’ ever allow anyone to tell you different, you were called and given gifts that no one can take away.
Honor our Father God by laying hands on the sick and see them healed.
only believe.
Their are Miracle healings (instantly) and thier are healings which are progressive
either one don’t allow room for doubt.
be bless
Jesse

I am blessed by your faith. God desires to, can, and does heal. Even if I wanted to stop believing, all the healings I have personally seen would rise up and smack me in the face….and these are even secondary to the Word, which I believe.

Like you, I have become increasingly careful about finding out what people I pray with actually believe. Funny, but you find that precious few actually believe God for healing in a group prayer. Which is why, contrary to most churches, I generally have no time for “prayer chains”. Chains are usually as strong as the weakest link…

Give me one or two that really believe and I’ll take that over a prayer chain any day.

In your situation, it can be helpful to find others that either operate in power gifts and/or can get into the Prayer of Agreement with you. Often, we can just get weary in fighting over a long period.

Allow me to introduce you Apostle Barbara J Yoder ministry from USA who is the leading in faith intersession. She has help us the church in Metro Tabernacle to understand that God and you need an intercessor to speak and direct your life. There is lack of healing in America and Europe is because people have a veil in front of them so much so that the faith beginning to fade away.Lack of faith in God is the missing key to victorious life.

Thanks for the comment. I wish you had the whole quote though. I’m not saying at all that God will not work through laypeople. The next couple lines say:

“So no matter how on fire you are, if your pastor is a big ball of faithlessness in the area of miracles and healing, that’s the atmosphere you’ll have. You will be pulling uphill and you will have less success than if you had a believing pastor”

I was referring to the direction of the church and the atmosphere that is set. It is set by the pastor, not you. He (or she) preaches and leads the church. If they are adamantly against, or lukewarm concerning healing, you will be pulling uphill and not have the same success as you might in a different church. I have ministered in both types of churches and trust me, there is a difference. In one type of church where unbelief is preached, folks will even argue with you when they come for ministry about why they should not expect healing, beginning with “the pastor said…”

Perhaps I should have put it like this: “God does not direct churches through laymen…” The church vision is the pastor’s vision.

Regarding your second statement, I wouldn’t be so harsh. Most pastors preach truth, just “safe” truth, not any truth that places a demand on God for the miraculous.

No one can understand the gospel by physical understanding, sure, we have schools to learn how to understand the word, they fail to tell them it’s not about knowing about God, it’s about developing a relationship with God out Father.
I went to bible college and quit, it was a cold place of self gratifying, I have learn
alot more by getting into my closet and speaking to God
I have had many years of casting out devils, I have seen food mulitply, I have seen angels, and we had angels sing in our bible study we all heard them audible
built a relationship with him and you will see the glory of God,
remember in the world we, see to believe, in the gospel we have to believe to see
God named you by name and he even gave you a surname and it saids he has counted
your very own hairs. you have to learn to know him. pray in the spirit daily.
Jesse
be bless

Thank you for answering my comment. Allow me to ask a question. If there is fungus on a part of a cake or bread, is it still edible?

I understood fully to what you were referring. But I was referring to the point of all are called to be pastors or priests if you prefer. The church vision is the pastor’s vision? Then maybe the pastor should make his vision God’s vision? Because that is definitely the source of the problem.

I disagree thoroughly, that the atmosphere is not set by me. It is not my pastor who would stand in my place at judgement. We need to stop placing these popes, mullahs, pastors, elders, bishops etc. at the forefront.

Their job is to make sure the sheep eat where God said they should, but that is not happening. Sorry, but no matter how you word your comment, the result is the same. And to this point I am referring.

I know the bible said nothing to be refuse if it is receive by prayer, it will all depend if you really believe. Jesus always said according to how you believe let it be unto you.
only you can beleive for youselfes.
Mk 16:18 and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.
Jesus always asked do you believe this?
your prayer life will always be determine by, do you really beleive when you pray. remember believing is just not your mind or thoughts it has to be in your heart
that means a lot of meditating on the word, reading, speaking it, memorizing and speaking in tongues alot.be bless taking time to speak to our Father God. and living to glorify God.
Jesse

Coming in late on this post. But I wish to ask this. Are you saying all must believe in healing? I believe in healing. I think as medical science became more and more the place where the western world looked (and the results were good– antibiotics did stop bacterial pneumonia, polio was stopped by vaccine–)the need for God in these areas was not so keen. I daresay that most believers in healing go to dentists? Doesn’t God heal teeth? But that led to the famous statement in the 1930’s movies, “we’ll I’ve done all I can do, it’s in Gods hands now.” Which was tantamount to saying, “You’re done, go buy a grave-site”. People just don’t believe unless they have to. We all in our flesh are weak. Without many examples and hope of others, our faith is barraged, and faith may be there, but doubt destroys our request–just like Peter on the water. The enemy is doubt many times, not lack of faith. I belonged to a church at one time that taught healing. But it said that going to doctors was a kind of idolatry. I don’t believe this, but later the leader of that church said, in response to other pastors who had told how many did not have the faith to be healed, “well I guess we don’t want to take away all they have”. So he saw the medical profession as an option although as he put it, “faith was a better way” The problem came in judging others by the healing criteria. Even Paul said you could have faith to move mountains and if you had no love, you were nothing. Many use the gift they have as a way to put themselves above others who don’t have that gift.
Well, I’ve rambled a bit, but wanted to make the point that in faith, it’s not either or. I very much agree with an earlier post that said the press was very anti healing, and would not show miracles these days. In some areas of the country it’s not so bad, but in others it is definitely censored. But God is great and will do His miracles for those little children who can believe. We should definitely encourage one another to believe God, because “All things are possible for them who believe”.

I think that way to much emphasis is placed on us having enough faith for a healing, or believing for a miracle. For one thing Jesus said Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. That is not much. Also i believe we serve a God that knows us much more than we think we know ourselves, and therefore knows exactly what we need (healing, miracle, breakthrough, etc.)more than what we think we may need. God knows what we need even before we ask. as if he wouldnt give us what we need. GOD is the one who gives the go ahead for a healing. It doesnt depend on weather we have enough faith or not. It depends on God who is completely sovereign.

Healing is not an answer to prayer, healing was completed when Jesus said it is finished,.
when spoke the world into existence for six days, he will never have to get up again in the morning and speak the world again.
all of his promises have already been spoken and he will never have to speak it again
healing was provided for us over 2000 years ago.Jesus never said no to any one who came to him, and he never asked anyone if they were in sin, he healed all they ever came to him. why would it be different now, when we have better promises than before. Jesus came to fulfilled the OLd Testament, not to abolish it. we are not under the Old but the new under grace New Testament.
with better promises, Eph. 1;3 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. all his promises belongs to us, it;s up to us to receive.
God will no do anymore for us, he has done it all, learn to beleive and to recieve.
be bless. Dont; expect for Jesus to have to do it all over again.
you don’t need faith as a mustard seed you were born again as a son of a faith God that means you are a faith son.
you have all the faith you will ever need to raise the dead, heal anyone you just have to know it and recieve it.
be bless
Jesse
Jesse

I have spoken of how sin entered the universe in an earlier post – however the original sin of Adam and Eve was the desire to be God.. We in the west have the same faith as those of other countries and other times. The difference is our faith is increasingly in man not God. For a long time the West has been largely devoid of killer diseases. As a result we do not know death the way an African does – we don’t have many relatives or friends who have died of Aids or Malaria or other childhood diseases. So as a consequence of putting so much faith in man there is little room for faith in God. (Which is why there will be a plague to afflict the West.)

The Bible says the effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much. Does that mean that in healing, if that same person prayed for healing in a western nation, then flew to a third world nation, that his prayers in the third world nation some how become more efficacious? or is it just as a parent doesnt respond to each of their children the same, so our Heavenly Father doesnt respond to each of his children the same. Why because the needs are different, and God knows that in the western world, the health system is far more advanced, and so his children have learnt to have faith in this form of provision. Which may not appear so miraculous but is never the less just as efficacious. This also suggests that in the third world faith may be more developed in certain areas, where as faith in the western world may not have needed to develop to such maturity. What interests me though is deeper healings by, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, to heal and restore Gods ideal, turning a heart of stone to a heart of flesh, in a person who has suffered so much, not necessarily physically, but deep emotional/pyschological and spiritual scarring, through this upside down world, of half truths, compromises, misdeeds and just plain sin. Whether that be child abuse, whether that be carried over abuse from that to broken relationships as an adult, the habits that become engrained, the root of bitterness/unforgiveness, and inability to truly love and be loved as a image bearer, why because of bondages created through brokeness and sin, so much. To see the world turn right side up, to see forgiveness, healing and true freedom released, from a life that has been scarred by sin, bondages, addictions and become whole again through Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross, wholly taken hold of, and a person set free to follow and grow in Jesus Christ as the true lifegiver, now that in any nation, culture and country, western, third world or where ever that is the true healing to the nations of the world, one person at a time, from the inside out, for the kingdom of God comes not with observation, they will not say, lo there or lo here, for behold the kingdom of God is with in you. Not down playing the healing of a body and this continueing question about the western world and else where, the question of salvation for all, and redeeming this upside down world, one soul at a time, continues to be the clarion call.

Thank you for these postings. Here in the UK there is a current case where a healing ministry has been banned from advertising that God can heal on the basis that the claim cannot be substantiated. The ban was instigated by atheists. I was particularly upset by this course of action because I received a dramatic answer to prayer when members of this ministry prayed for me. I was wondering if anything like this has happened in the US and how you had dealt with it. God bless you.

I don’t understand though. I read Bill Johnson’s book, heard he had a school for the miraculous. Called the on-call pastor hoping for something. Said it was good that i knew of Jesus Culture and read the book, but they didn’t offer counseling, just prayer over the phone. I said that’s fine. So she said “Jesus’ blessings, bye.” And that was it.

Then I called the Prayer Center where I heard these people had faith and performed exorcisms and whatnot. I asked hear how to obtain healing for my wife, she said “Um, I’m not the best person to answer that question. The one you really should talk to unfortunately is out of the office because she wasn’t feeling well today.”

So, Bethel church offered nothing, US Prayer Center offered nothing. And these are the “big guns” you guys refer to.

I’m left hopeless. I’ve read and studied healing for years. I know it isn’t earned, I know it’s not about having great faith “I do believe Lord, help my unbelief”. I’ve written sermons on healing. No one else believes or operates in healing. I live in Houston “Mega Church central”. No one could offer help. All have served as false hopes. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Pretty much giving up.

The truth is…that healing is hard, as I’ve written in an earlier post. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I too, have been at faith meetings where it seemed anyone but me was healed. I too, have placed the calls to healing-oriented pastors without results. I have also prayed long, hard and often for certain cases without healing taking place.

Why is it so hard? Primarily because the church has retreated from it – and I mean non-denominationals also. Non-denoms talk good game, but don’t minister healing and don’t teach it because they inwardly don’t believe it. Another reason is because we are so sense-oriented and feeling oriented and taught to be so.

Yes it is hard. But on the other side of the ledger, I have seen and experienced healing that defied the doctors’ worst prognoses. When it is your own life, you cannot but believe. When it is before your own eyes, you cannot but believe. (Actually, in both cases, you still can, but that’s for another day.)

OK, here’s a practical suggestion for you and your wife. Thank God for the “big names”, but I counsel you to find a good healing room close by you and visit often. Search for healing rooms here. They will take time with you and work with you with dogged persistence until you see results. You will also have person-to-person ministry, not over the phone.

Persist in it, for in due course “you will reap a harvest if you do not give up” (Galatians 6:9)